Stenotype copyholder



March 21, 1944. H. G.. SULLIVAN I 2,344,655

' STENOTYPE 001w HOLDER Filed May-7. 1942 Patented Mar. 21, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICIE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to copy holders for stenotype copy strips. It has for its general object to provide a copy holder in which a manually operated revoluble member functions between a front and rear compartment to consecutively lift in one phase of its revolution, from a folded pile of inscribed copy strip contained in the front compartment, a length of copy strip comprising two of the fold defined sections of said copy strip; to hold said length of copy strip substantially flat and at any desired display angle whereby the notes of said entire length of strip may be conveniently read by the transcriber sitting before her typewriter, before it is again necessary to operate the device, and upon sequential operation, in the complementary phase of its revolution, to successively deposit the lengths of strip into the rear compartment in such manner as to cause the copy strip to automatically resume its form as a folded pile.

Another object of the invention is to provide a. copy holder as above described, which upon being operated reversely will lift successive lengths comprising two of the fold defined sections from the rear compartment and bring them forward to display position so that the notes can be re-read.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a copy holder of the type described, in-

eluding a vane adapted to be rotated step by step, the diametrical length of which is substantially equal to that of two of the fold defined sections of the copy strip, whereby the opposite ends of the vane successively engage within the dihedral bights on the under side of the copy strip formed in the alternate'lines of fold whereby the rotatable vane is positively intergeared with the copy strip, ensuring the accurate indexing of the same, which is essential to the practical operation of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a copy holder of the type described which may be collapsed into a small compact portable unit.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the followingv description of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a copy holder embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the copy holder in the knock-down or collapsed position; and

Figure 3- is a longitudinal vertical section.

Referring now in detail to the several figures,

the numeral i represents in general the base of the copy holder which has the form of a com partment comprising a bottom 2, sides 3 and 4, and a forward end 5. The compartment I is designed vto receive a zigzag folded bundle or pile of inscribed copy strip and the sides and front end of the compartment are of reduced height, as shown, to facilitate the inserting or removing of the copy strip.

In the form of the invention shown and described a pair of parallel links 6 are pivotally mounted as at 1 to the sides of the compartment l, which serve as supports for the rotary memher 8. Said rotary member comprises a pair of flat diametrically disposed arms or vanes 9 and 10 mounted upon a horizontal axle ll journaled in the upper ends of the links 6, the height of the links being such that the rotary member 8 can revolve within the compartment l. The axle ll extends beyond the link 6 at one side and has affixed thereto the knob 12 by means of which the member 8 is rotated. Said member is free to rotate in either direction.

The rotary member 8 is preferably provided at the ends of the vanes 9 and H) with the spoolshaped copy strip engaging members is having the side flanges M which serve to retain the copy strip upon the rotary member. 1

Preferably, for knock-down purposes, one of the vanes, for example the vane 9, is detachable.

Figure 3 shows that the inner end l5 of this vane fits into a slot I6 formed in the hub I1 which surrounds the axle II. A manually operated detent I8 locks the vane 9 in place, or releases it. The hub I! is preferably provided with the space retaining pins I!) which prevent the wind from dislodging the copy strip from the rotatable member.

The rear end of the compartment I is preferably open, giving access to the drawer 20 which is in the extended position shown when the copy holder is in operative position. The drawer is of such width and length as to contain the zigzag foldedpile of copy strip. Its rear end 2| and the adjacent portions 22 and 23 of its side walls are of suflicient height to enclose the pile of copy strip. The forward portions of the sides of the drawer 20 are cut down to a shallow height for ease in removing the pile of copy strip,

In operation, a pile of zigzag folded inscribed copy strip is placed in the forward compartment l. A certain length of the copy strip is drawn out and this extended portion is draped over' the uppermost end of the rotary member 8, the dihedral bight on the under side of the extended portion being placed over the spool-shaped end 13 between the flanges M. The member 8 is then rotated by manipulation of the knob l2 until the lower end of the vane l registers with the next consecutive dihedral bight on the under side of the copy strip. By further rotation of the member 8, the extended portion of the copy strip is lifted, a length of said copy strip corresponding to two of the fold defined sections lying in substantially fiat position along the upper side of the vanes 9 and I i), so that the notes thereon may be read from the top of said length clear to the bottom without further operation of the copy holder. The inclination of the vanes 9 and I0 may be adjusted to any angular position which gives optimum reading convenience.

When the transcriber has finished reading the notes upon the displayed length of copy strip, the member 8 may be rotated so as to withdraw a new length of copy strip from the zigzag folded pile in the forward compartment and simu taneously to drop the transcribed portion into the drawer 29, said portion automatically resuming its folded position and collecting in a zigzag folded pile in the drawer. By virtue of the fact that the aggregate length of the vanes 9 and IE! is equal to the distance from one of the underlying dihedral bights to the next of said underlying dihedral bight, the rotatable member becomes positively inter-geared with the copy strip so that the latter is positively indexed to bring successive length portions into display position. This is in sharp contradistinction to known devices which consecutively engage an underlying dihedral bight and the next downwardly projecting fold of the copy strip, the end of the vane which engages the downwardly projecting fold slipping relative to the sloping sides of said fold, throwing the copy strip out of gear with the rotatable member and putting the movement of the copy strip out of synchronization with the movement of the rotary member.

Ordinarily, for long periods of time the copy holder may remain in its extended position, as shown in Figure 1, on the typewriter desk; When it is desired to transport it from place to place the vane 9 is detached, the links folded flat with respect to the compartment I which lowers the vane H), to a position parallel to said compartment and within the bounds of the sides thereof. The drawer is then pushed within the compartment l and the detached vane 9 placed within the drawer inside of the compartment r I, the copy holder being thus reduced to a small compact portable unit. 7

The sides of the compartment I are preferably provided with the projecting stops 24, which engage notches in the links 6 and hold them in upright position. The bottom of the drawer preferably has a longitudinal slot 26 in which plays a headed pin 2?, the latter being secured to .the bottom ofv the compartment l adjacent its rear end. This pin'acts as a stop to limit the extension of the drawer, and to hold the drawer from becoming detached from the compartment I. This feature is useful when the copy holder is so placed that the open drawer overhangs the edge of the desk.

When it is desired to refer to notes which have already been transcribed and are on that portion of the copy strip I in the drawer it, the member 8 may be rotated in the reverse direction to index the copy strip forwardly, bringing the desired length into display position on the forward faces of the vanes 9 and I0.

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to be a preferred and practical embodiment of my invention, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that the specific details of construction and arrangement of parts are by way of example and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. Copy holder for stenotype copy strip including a member comprising a pair of diametrically opposite arms rotatable upon a horizontal axis, adapted to be overlain by an extended portion from. a pile of zigzag folded copy strip placed below said member adjacent the advance end thereof, the length of said member between the ends of said arms being substantially the distance between alternate lines of fold of said copy strip, whereby the ends of said arms successively-intergear with the successive dihedral bights on the under side of said copy strip at alternate lines of fold, and manual means for rotating said member through successive steps, to lift successive "lengths of said copy strip, each length comprising two fold-defined sections thereof, from said pile and hold it substantially flat at any desired display angle with the opposite ends of said member simultaneously engaging successive dihedral bights on the under side of said copy strip to integrate said strip with said member, and to successively deposit said lengths in a pile at the rear of said member.

2. Copy holder as claimed in claim 1, said member being reversely rotatable for bringing said length of copy strip forward from the rear pile to display position.

3. Copy holder as claimed in claim 1, said arms being of a width substantially equal to that of the copy strip and having lateral retaining flanges at the ends.

4. Copy holder comprising means forming a compartment for receiving a zigzag folded pile of copy strip, swingable uprights pivoted to the sides of said compartment, a copy strip actuating member comprising a shaft journaled in said uprights, a hub on said shaft, a pair of diametrically opposite arms carried by said hub adapted to be over lain by an extended portion from a pile of zigzag folded copy strip in said compartment, the length of said member between the ends of said arms being substantially the distance between alternate lines of fold of said copy strip, whereby the ends of said arms successively intergear with the suc cessive dihedral bights on the under side of said copy strip occurring at alternate lines of fold, and manually actuated means on said shaft for rotating said actuating member through successive steps, to lift successive lengths of said copy strip, each length comprising two fold defined sections thereof, from said pile and hold it substantially flat at any desired display angle with the-opposit eends of said member simultaneously engaging suc.- cessive dihedral bightson the under side of said copy strip to integrate said strip with said member, and to successively deposit said lengths in a pile at the rear of said actuating member, one of said arms being demountable from said hub to shorten the length of said actuating member when said copy holder is in collapsed position, said uprights being adapted to fold parallel to said compartment, bringing said actuating member with the demountable arm removed, substantially within the bounds of said compartment.

5. Copy holder as claimed in claim 4, including laterally spaced radially extending retaining pins on said hub adapted to embrace the sides of the intermediate portion of the displayed length of copy strip.

6. Copy holder comprising means forming a compartment for receiving a zigzag folded pile of copy strip, swingable uprights pivoted to the sides of said compartment adjacent the rear thereof, a copy strip actuating member comprising a shaft journaled in said uprights, a hub on said shaft, a pair of diametrically opposed arms carried by said hub adapted to be overlain by an extended portion from a pile of zigzag folded copy strip contained in said compartment, the length of said actuating member between the ends of said arms being substantially the distance between alternate lines of fold of said copy strip whereby the ends of said arms successively intergear with the successive dihedral bights on the under side of said copy strip which occur at alternate lines of fold, a drawer slidable within said compartment and outwardly therefrom rearwardly of said compartment for collecting the transcribed portion of said copy strip, means forming a limit stop to the extension of said drawer and connecting said drawer to said compartment, and means on said shaft adapted to be manually operated for retaining said actuating member through successive steps, to lift successive lengths of said copy strip, each length comprising two fold defined sections thereof, from said pile and hold it substantially fiat at any desired display angle, and to successively deposit said lengths in a pile in said drawer, one of said arms being demountable from said hub to decrease the length of said actuating member when said copy holder is in collapsed position, said uprights being adapted to fold parallel to said compartment, bringing said actuating member with said demountable arm removed, substantially within the bounds of said compartment.

'7. Copy holder as claimed in claim 6, including latching means for detachably securing said demountable arm in operative position.

HARRY GORDON SULLIVAN. 

